Parliament to reciprocate in same spirit feelings of respect shown by judiciary: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said the parliament would reciprocate the feelings of respect shown by the judiciary for the parliament in the same spirit.The Prime Minister expressed these views while speaking in the National Assembly after Chairman of Constitutional Committee Mian Raza Rabbani laid before the house the unanimously passed report of the Committee on 19th Amendment.He praised the role of Supreme Court of Pakistan for referring the matter to the Parliament for review and reconsideration.“I compliment the role of Supreme Court for referring the matter to the Parliament for a review. The judiciary has given the highest respect to the Parliament and the Parliament has reciprocated in the same manner.”

“We want to make the institutions stronger instead of individuals,” he added.
The Prime Minister also congratulated the nation and political leadership on the successful test-launch of Medium Range Ballistic Missile Hatf-V (Ghauri) and the presentation of report of Constitutional Committee on 19th Amendment.“I congratulate the nation over successful test fire of Ghauri Hataf-V. It is a gift for the nation,” he said while speaking in the National Assembly.The Prime Minister said it was a good omen that the Chairman of Constitutional Committee Mian Raza Rabbani had laid the unanimously passed report of the Committee on 19th Amendment.He said it would give a strong message to those people who used to term the parliament as rubber stamp and powerless.“Those who proclaimed the Parliament a rubber stamp with no powers should know that the present parliament is independent. I have remained the member of the National Assembly in 1982, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993 and 2008. I have never seen such an independent parliament.”

“The previous parliament did nothing except raising the slogans of ‘go Musharraf go,’” he said.He recalled that the former President addressed the previous parliament only once during his nine-year tenure.Congratulating the members of Constitutional Committee, the Prime Minister said that the unanimously passage of the report on 19th Amendment bill by them would be written in the history.He said the 1973 Constitution was presented by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the successive governments made a number of changes in it.“It is not a unicameral system rather it is bicameral system. I am happy that not a single member opposed the bill.”While acknowledging the efforts of Raza Rabbani, the Prime Minister said, “I appreciated the Chairman of the Committee for presenting the report in a short time”.“I also appreciate the political leadership for showing political maturity that has further dignified the parliament – App